In a broadcast media environment, a set-top box (STB) is a well-known electronic device that is connected to a communication channel, such as a cable television network, and produces an output on a conventional television screen or other display device. STBs are often used in cable television, satellite television and over-the-air television systems to receive and decode digital television (DTV) broadcasts and to interface with the Internet, or other communication network, through a user's television instead of a personal computer or other computing device.
The functions and capabilities of an STB can vary widely, depending upon the complexity of the STB. For example, STBs can range from the simplest, which merely receive and unscramble incoming television signals, to the more complex, which also function essentially as multimedia desktop computers that can run a variety of advanced services such as video-on-demand (VOD), Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, home networking, and high-speed IP television (IPTV) services.
The STB typically communicates with a head-end of a multi-service operator (MSO) via a radio frequency (RF) network. On occasion, the STB may become inaccessible or otherwise non-responsive through the RF network. If the STB is not accessible, either due to firewall rules or web server or other communication errors, there is essentially no way to determine the source of the communication error from the head-end. Thus, a disruptive reboot of the STB would be required, or a repair technician would need to be deployed into the field in order to diagnosis and repair the STB, which is costly.